The present invention belongs to a family of related systems that use metadata to control the playback of broadcast programming as disclosed in the previously issued patents and published patent applications summarized below. The disclosures of each of the following patents and published applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Reissue Pat. No. Re36,801 issued to James D. Logan et al. on Aug. 1, 2000 entitled “Time delayed digital video system using concurrent recording and playback” describes a mechanism for continually storing live television or radio broadcast programs in an addressable digital memory and playing back the broadcast program after a variable delay period under the control of the viewer, permitting the viewer to pause, replay, and fast-forward (skip) live programming.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,892,536 and 5,986,692 issued to James D. Logan et al. describe systems which employ metadata to selectively store, manipulate and playback broadcast programming. Some of the arrangements and features disclosed in those two patents may be summarized as follows:
1. A remote editing station, which may be at the broadcast facility or at a remote location, classifies, describes or otherwise identifies individual segments of broadcast programming and sends metadata (sometimes referred to as “markup data”) identifying and describing those segments to a remote client receiver. For example, the markup data may identify individual segments by specifying the source and the time of the original broadcast, or by specifying some other unique characteristic of the broadcast signal. The program segments may be TV, radio, or Internet programs, or portions of programs, including individual songs, advertisements, or scenes.
2. The communication link used to transmit the metadata to the client may take one of several forms, including the Internet, a dialup telephone link, the communications pathway used to carry the broadcast signals to the client, or other forms of communication used to transport the metadata to the client.
3. At the client receiver, the metadata is used to identify particular program segments that may then be manipulated in one or more of a variety of ways. For example, the metadata may be used to selectively play back or record particular segments desired by the user; to re-sequence the identified segments into a different time order; to “edit-out” undesired portions of identified segments; to splice new information, such as computer text or advertising, into identified segments for rendering with the program materials, or to substitute different material (e.g. dubbing in acceptable audio to replace profanity to make programming more acceptable to minors).
4. The client receives and locally stores incoming broadcast programming and uses the markup data to identify desired segments within the stored program materials. The local storage mechanism may advantageously include means for concurrently recording live broadcasting while replaying a delayed version of the previously recorded programming as described in U.S. Reissue Pat. 36,801 issued to James D. Logan et al.
5. The markup data can provide a detailed “electronic program guide” to the broadcast programming previously received and stored in a personal video recorder (PVR) or an audio storage device, permitting the user to selectively play back a desired segment or portion of the programming previously recorded.
6. The markup data may be used to create a recorded collection of desired segments extracted from the buffered broadcast, allowing the desired segments to be saved while the remainder of the buffered materials is discarded to conserve recording space.
7. Special markup signals may be selectively sent to individual subscribers based on his or her indicated preferences so that only preferred program segments are identified and processed. For example, a subscriber might request markup data only for sports and news.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,271,811, 5,732,216, and 6,199,076, and co-pending application Ser. No. 09/782,546 filed on Feb. 13, 2001, by James D. Logan et al. describe a program distribution system which incorporates the following features:
1. A host system organizes and transmits program segments to client subscriber locations.
2. A scheduling file of metadata (a “playlist”) schedules the content and sequence of a playback session, which may then be modified by the user.
3. The content of the scheduled programming is varied in accordance with preferences associated with each subscriber.
4. Program segments are associated with descriptive subject matter segments, and the subject matter segments may be used to generate both text and audio cataloging presentations to enable the user to more easily identify and select desirable programming.
5. A playback unit at the subscriber location reproduces the program segments received from the host and includes mechanisms for interactively navigating among the program segments, including jumping from segment to segment in both forward and reverse directions.
6. A usage log is compiled to record the subscriber's use of the available program materials, to return data to the host for billing, to adaptively modify the subscriber's preferences based on actual usage, and to send subscriber-generated comments and requests to the host for processing.
7. Voice input and control mechanisms included in the player allow the user to perform hands-free navigation of the program materials and to dictate comments and messages, which are returned to the host for retransmission to other subscribers.
8. The program segments sent to each subscriber may include advertising materials, which the user can selectively play to obtain credits against the subscriber fee.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0120925 A1 published on Aug. 29, 2002 (based U.S. application Ser. No. 10/060,001 filed by James D. Logan et al. on Jan. 29, 2002) entitled “Audio and Video Program Recording, Editing and Playback Systems Using Metadata” describes structures and functions used to provide metadata control over the recoding, editing and playback of audio and video programming, including the use of mechanisms at the user's location for creating metadata which may be used in combination with metadata provided by an external source, for editing metadata in various ways at the user's location, for automatically responding to user activity to generate new metadata which characterizes the user's preferences and which serves to automatically identify and describe (or rate) programming segments, and for responding in numerous ways to the available metadata to enhance the utility and enjoyment of available broadcast materials.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0093790 A1 published on May 15, 2003 (based U.S. application Ser. No. 10/165,587 filed by James D). Logan et al. on Jun. 8, 2002) entitled “Audio and Video Program Recording, Editing and Playback Systems Using Metadata” describes systems for utilizing metadata created either at a central location for shared use by connected users, or at each individual user's location, to enhance user's enjoyment of available broadcast programming content. A variety of mechanisms are employed for automatically and manually identifying and designating programming segments, associating descriptive metadata which the identified segments, distributing the metadata for use at client locations, and using the supplied metadata to selectively record and playback desired programming.